Two Tickets to Paradise
by TheLittlePenguin
Summary: Two very different people met in their own Paradise. Little does Edward know about his heritage, and how his being a Royal eventually turns Bella's life upside down, when she realises that she is carrying his child.  Put on hold
1. Finding Paradise

Chapter I: Finding Paradise

Bella was sure that she had a stranger following her. Odd as it was, she was not afraid. Occasionally, she would turn behind to find a pair of green eyes looking into her brown ones. When she lifted her hand to stretch, he would follow suit. She found him so charming and playful, that she finally stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.

He seemed a little startled at first, then broke into an easy smile, his face lighting up like the sun.

"Why're you following me?" Her accusation seemed entirely weightless when she giggled.

His head dropped slightly, as if embarrassed. "I'm just wondering...where you are headed to. You don't seem to have a place you particularly want to visit."

She laughed in amusement. He was right. _Very correct_. "So you stalk people who don't have places to go?"

Her comment made him smile wider. "That's because I've never found a person who wanders about aimlessly like you do. People have stopped seeing the world. It seems as if money and clothes are more beautiful than anything else."

"Mhmm," Bella agreed.

They walked in silence for awhile, before she stopped before an oak tree. He stopped too. She dug through her jean pocket and pulled out a little white slip. Turning, she waved it at him. He flashed a smile, before slipping his hand into his jacket.

She laughed when he retrieved another white slip.

"Took the train here too?" She asked.

He nodded, grinning. "The best form of transport."

"Why's that?"

"Trains are quiet. You can think about so many things, just as you look out of the window to see the view."

Bella wrinkled her nose and beamed. "True. Here, pass me your ticket."

He looked at her questioningly, but compromised. She took it from his hand, her finger tips touching his palm ever so slightly. A tingling sensation crept up on the both of them, and they smiled. She knelt before the oak tree and started to dig through the soil. He followed suit.

They dug through the earth together, smiles of bashfulness creeping onto their lips. Their eyes met once and Bella looked down, shy.

"There," She said when the concave was a respectable size. He watched her as she placed the train tickets in a cross, his atop hers. It was a second later that he realised - he was not watching her slim fingers cover the tickets back with soil. He was marvelling at her tranquil beauty, the way a strand of brown lock would fall just above her mesmerizing chocolate eyes the minute she bent over to work.

When a smile spread across her lips, he knew he had fallen in love. Although, he found it odd - He never believed in love at first sight.

She looked up at him, still smiling. "What's your name?"

He blinked. He had forgotten to introduce himself. Esme would have flipped. "Edward. Edward Cullen."

She held out a delicate hand. "Isabella Swan."

He shook it gently. "It's very good to know you, Isabella."

"Bella," She let out a little laugh. "Just Bella."

Her hand slipped from his, and she took two twigs from beneath the tree, drilling them into the soil where she had buried the tickets. He chuckled and crouched down at the base of the tree, just next to her. He fished out a little pocket knife and began to carve on the surface of the smooth bark.

She tilted her head, reading what he had crafted. It took a long while, and by the time he was done, his knife was blunt.

Bella read it to herself: _B&E, 8 September, Autumn._

She laughed and looked at him. "What should we call this place?"

Edward looked about his surroundings. The trees had grown into a spectacular colour of red and orange. Piled upon the dew covered grass, the crusty brown leaves whirled around in a circle like a small tornado sweeping the beautiful lane. The mystifying colours of the sun shone onto the pile of leaves, which in turn, glistened brightly as the breeze blew over his shoulders and neck.

_"Paradise,"_ He whispered.

She nodded, agreement silent in the crisp air. He looked back at her, and they smiled.

If Edward was sure that he had fallen in love, then Bella had no doubts at all that she had already loved him.

_Love is a strange thing._

This is a tale of two different people, whom met in what they both agreed on as Paradise, and this is just the very beginning of what is to come.


	2. Death of the Archduke

Chapter II: Death of the Archduke.

"Bella?"

Bella looked up from Renee's paper work. Her eyes were fixed upon Edward. Without even questioning, she knew that there was a problem on his mind. A huge one, to add. She scooted towards him and held his hand.

"Yes?" She asked.

"What is love to you?"

Indeed, that question had caught her off guard. "Love is about honesty and trust. Love is..." She paused, then smiled. "Love is_ you._"

He grinned - a subtle, half smile that always set her heart racing. His fingers swept past the piano keyboard, hitting a few tuneless chords. "Love is you," He echoed. "How true."

Bella touched his hair, feeling the softness of them. To her, they were like the finest silk ever made. "If," His voice was barely a whisper. "If I ever wanted to run away...to somewhere nobody could find me, will you come with me?"

She frowned. "Why would you want to run away?"

"When I get tired of this life of mine. When I need to get away from everything and just have you by my side."

Bella had suddenly thought of Charlie. Her father would never tolerate her eloping with anybody. Furthermore, she thought of how he would be so lonely in the empty house, how cold it was during winter. Renee would go into hysterics, and Phil would not know what to do.

Edward caught her gaze and smiled again. "It's alright. I know that it will never happen. Not with you having a bright future ahead of you."

"Why do you say that?"

"You've aced all your exams in Dartmouth this semester. Letters of Recommendation are written specially for you. You are able to juggle that and take care of Renee's business. You have your own apartment here. You are just so independent...just what a man wants... "

"And you're my man," Bella said quietly.

Edward paused.

"Even though we'd met just two weeks ago, I am already yours," She tried to keep a straight smile. Her eyes began to water. "I know that I will never be able to live without you. So, yes, I will follow you to the ends of this earth."

Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, hiding her tears. She felt his warm embrace around her. "You are just..." She heard his muffled voice. "You are just the most beautiful gift to me."

With a shaky laugh, she pulled back. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her eyes, where a teardrop rested on his lips. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you too."

.oOo.

The smell of mushrooms and olive oil filled the air. The sound of Bella's laughter warmed Edward's heart.

"You're going to burn it!" Bella protested, still giggling.

"I don't actually cook!"

She took a spoon and added a little salt to the mushrooms. "This mushroom ravioli is going to taste so good!"

Edward grimaced.

"What?" Bella elbowed his ribs playfully. "So little confidence in yourself?"

"Well," He shrugged. "My self esteem has definitely risen since I'd met you."

The sound of her amusement had him smiling till his jaw muscles ached. When she was back to stirring the paste, he watched her. To him, she was the most delicate being - emotionally and physically. He was so afraid that he would lose her. Her slender structure seemed so frail that it seemed as if she could hardly live through a storm.

And then, _her eyes_.

They were simply mesmerizing. Brown, and filled with depths of knowledge and emotions that seemed to be a world of their own.

"Are we going back to Paradise any time soon?" He heard her voice.

He straightened up. "Do you want to?"

She nodded and smiled. He was about to wrap his arms around her, when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He pursed his lips when he saw a name flashing on the screen. Keeping calm, he excused himself and went into the living room.

"Yes, Alice?"

"Oh, Edward!" The familiar high ringing voice breathed. "I've called you eighteen times! What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm...with a friend."

"Is it Bella?"

He sighed. Alice always had a way to see through lies. "Yes."

"Turn on the TV. Channel four."

Edward crossed over to the small television and flicked the switch. He flipped through the channels, until he reached the right one. For awhile, he just stared at the screen. There were camera flashes over a man, who lay as still as rock on the hospital bed.

At the bottom of the screen were the headlines in bold: **Archduke Edward Manson Sr. collapses at the Royal golf range.**

"It's your father, Edward," Alice's voice was soft. "His life is in danger."

His heart hardened immediately. "So what?" He challenged. "He was never a father to me. I do not know him. Carlisle is my father! I won't care what anybody has to say. That man is not my father. What has he done for me?"

"Edward, he _is_ your father. Whether you like it or not, his blood runs in your veins. Listen, I need you to come back to England right now. You have to."

"No. I don't want to see him."

"Edward - "

"My name is Edward Cullen._ Cullen_. My father is Carlisle Cullen."

It was quiet at the other end. "Then you leave me with no choice - I will send Benjamin down to Bella's and pick you up from there."

"Don't you dare!"

"I mean it. You are a Royalty. I think it's best if you set your priorities right. Just face it - that man is your father. The Archduke of England is your father. His life is at stake now and we have to call for a gathering. I'll see you at eight tomorrow morning in the airport. If I don't, Benjamin will be knocking on Bella's door."

And the line ended.

He swore under his breath.

.oOo.

Bella was sound asleep next to him. He sighed and reached for his phone again.

It was the ninth time.

_"Ed, come home. Really. You have to."_

Emmett's messages were always short and straight to the point. Edward knew he had to do something. Something right for once, for the Royal family. He looked at Bella, whose hair was sprawled all over the pillow. Her lips were curled into an absent smile.

He got up silently and pulled on his pants and sweatshirt. His chest tightened immediately at the thought of leaving Bella, no matter how short a time.

_I'll be back soon. Wait for me._

_I love you._

He left the note on the table next to her bed and grabbed his passport and bag.

* * *

_A/N: I used England as the featured monarchy country. Don't sue me! :P_


	3. Through the glass windows

Chapter III: Through the glass windows

_"It's definitely not indigestion. You are pregnant. The tests have confirmed it."_

Bella's heart stopped.

It was as if an invisible force had just halted it completely for a few seconds, before it started to beat faster, harder, pounding against her ribcage. She felt the tiny consultation room swirl around her like a whirlpool.

She had suddenly thought of all the reality television shows, where young mothers were caught, unexpectedly, in an unwanted pregnancy. But the difference between her and them now was that Bella loved Edward. The baby was not conceived from lust, but love.

Numbly, she thanked the doctor and went out of the room. After she had paid the fee, she sat down on one of the plastic chairs, trying to gather her thoughts. While doing so, she saw a pretty girl crying.

"What should we do?" The cheerleader sobbed to a young man next to her.

"Just go for an abortion," He spoke in a low voice. Yet, it was cold and commanding. "C'mon."

He took her hand roughly and headed to the counter, where the girl sobbed even harder. "Please..." She begged pitifully. "Please, let's think about this."

"We have no time to think! This baby is unwanted - it shall not be born. Being pregnant now ain't going to help. This..._thing_ is going to be nothing but an obstacle. So stop crying and sign the papers before your Mum beats the shit out of me. Jesus..."

Bella felt sick again.

With shaking hands, she pulled out her phone out from her bag and dialed a number she had not called for a week.

"Bella?" The voice seemed so dead that she could hardly recognise the receiver.

"Yeah, it's me," She answered weakly. "Are you free to meet up? I have to tell you something really important."

There was a moment of silence, before Edward replied. "I have something to tell you too. I'll catch the afternoon flight back. Meet me at Joe's Cafe, alright?"

"Okay."

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Before she had a chance to reply, the line went dead. She drew a long breath, steadying herself. When she was convinced that she could walk without toppling over, she got up and headed for her red truck.

All through the journey home, she cried, clutching tightly to the note Edward had left her a week ago.

.oOo.

Through the windows, she could see Edward sitting at a quiet corner of the cafe. His bronze coloured hair gleamed under the light like a halo. His jean-clad legs were stretched out in a laid back manner. She opened the glass door, welcomed with a soft ring of the bell.

"'Ey, Bella," Joe greeted from the counter.

"Hi, Joe."

He looked at her, closer this time, through his wise, grey eyes. "You 'kay there? Lookin' like you've been cryin' before this."

Bella forced a smile. "I'm good. I'll skip the drinks today, though."

"Sure thing!"

When she turned around, Edward's gaze was fixed upon her. It was a melancholy, wondering stare. She sat down across him, and he straightened up, watching her as she took her seat. She felt warm in his presence

"What did you want to tell me?" Edward asked.

Bella shook her head. "You first."

He took a deep breath, then shook his head. "You should go first."

"What is it?" Bella pried.

He looked at her through the long eyelashes. A long silence dragged. To Bella, it seemed like a few hours. When he did speak, however, it was a different tone. It was not the way she was used to him speaking. The voice that came out of his mouth was too authorial, too hard for her liking.

"Remember what I said about Alice being my only cousin, and that my parents, Carlisle and Esme, are trying to make a living by running a small company?"

She nodded.

He looked at her in the eye. "Well, those were lies."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I have a long line of relatives - I am not alone. My mother is still alive. Her name is Elizabeth, and she lives in Jacksonville. My father passed away on the day I left you. My real name is Edward Anthony Mansen. I was born in England. I'm studying in the Royal College of Art."

For awhile, Bella stared. Then, she started to process the information. "Mason..." She whispered. Her eyes flickered to him. "_Mason?_ You...your father was the..."

"Archduke? Yes. Of England, yes."

"Why are you telling me this?"

His green eyes fixed on hers again. "I'm leaving."

"Leaving?" Her voice shook.

"Leaving for good."

She shrunk back, leaning against the chair. That was it. He was leaving. Her mouth parted to speak, but no words escaped. All she could do was to close her eyes and let the boiling tears stream down her cold cheeks. She could feel her heart shattering every second, begging her to ease the pain. But she would not.

_She could not._

"I'm sorry," He said quietly. "Sorry that I had stepped into your life, sorry to have shared such blessed memories that were not meant to be mine but yours. I'm sorry for the nights we had spent together. I'm sorry about everything I've - "

"Don't," She squeaked, sobs building fast in her chest. "Don't be sorry. I'm not sorry."

She bent her head down, drawing shaky breaths against her tears. Death would have been less painful to her at that point in time. She felt his warm hand on her shoulder. Her cries intensified. She could feel Joe's eyes on her as well.

"Promise me something?" He was right next to her.

She looked up, but saw only a blurred vision of him.

"Look after yourself, just like how you had before we'd met. For your parents' sake."

"You..." She swallowed. "You're never coming back?_ Ever_?"

He blinked once, then looked away. She could not tell if he was crying, but she saw his shoulders quivering. "No," He replied. "Maybe one day, I'll pass by this cafe again. But who knows what the future will hold."

"You will be marrying someone else, then?" She guessed.

"Yes. An Irish duchess."

She was long prepared for the answer. She could her the distant rumble of thunder. It was not long after when the rain started to pour. She could not tell him about their baby - not when he was marrying somebody else.

"But our Paradise will always remain. It will always be there." He stood up, hand still on her shoulder.

Her eyes ached, and she forced herself to her feet, gripping the chair for support. Her head spun wildly, and she felt herself falling backwards, just in time for Edward to catch her, pulling her to his chest. This time, without a doubt, she knew he was crying.

"I'm sorry," He croaked. "I'll say it over and over again."

She fought against the dizziness and pushed him away, standing up. She half walked, half stumbled to the door. He followed.

_That's enough,_ She told herself. _Stop crying. He's going._

She let out a tired sigh, before turning to him. "I hope that we will never see each other again," She said. "Because this pain," Tears started to flow again. "...is just beyond what words can describe. I can't live with this wretched feeling in my heart."

He was silent, staring at the ground.

"So I hope that, if we ever see each other again, you will not greet me..."

"It will be as if I had never existed, then. Never had in this world, nor your heart."

"Yes. Never existed," She echoed bitterly. "I wish you all the happiness, Edward Mason."

He did not reply.

With that, she walked out of the cafe and into the rain. She was glad that she had not driven her truck. No matter how far she had to walk, she would. Turning back, she saw him through the glass windows, watching her.

Nobody saw her crying.


	4. A hand on the shoulder

Chapter IV: A hand on the shoulder

Bella found herself at the hospital two days later, staring into the center for abortion. She could see girls her age being wheeled into the operating room, tears streaming down their cheeks. Others were young women, waiting for their turn.

She realised one thing they all had in common: They had no men, nor family members with them.

Her hands turned cold almost immediately. She swallowed, hard, and reached for the handle of the glass doors. It was then when a larger hand stopped her.

She turned to see a young doctor, probably in his early twenties standing behind her. He was clad in the usual white uniform with a stethoscope hung around his neck. His blue eyes were a startling shade of sapphire, which complimented his chestnut coloured hair.

"Do you really want that?" He asked in a low voice. "Walking into that cheerful, brightly lit center is equivalent to sending a soul to its death."

Bella blinked - a little drop of tear falling onto the ground.

"Look," He said in a gentler tone. "If you had wanted the abortion, you wouldn't have stood outside looking in. If you had really wanted to get rid of your baby, you would have walked right in, paid the bill, and got into the operating room."

Bella looked at him. She could see a reflection of herself in his irises - helpless, tired, tearful. His eyes softened, and he placed a hand on her shoulder - the very same spot Edward had done so two days ago.

"Follow me. I'll show you something," He took her gently by the arm, and led her to the other side of the corridor.

She gasped.

She had been so focused on the abortion center, that she did not realise that right across it was a nursery. Newborn babies lay asleep in their courts, warm and contented. She approached the glass panel, watching them.

"Many a times, the young ladies who head for the abortion center will stop by to look into this nursery," The doctor smiled, waving absently at a baby boy. "Believe me, I have seen many who have turned away, and went straight home without getting an abortion."

"Why's that?" Bella whispered.

"Because when you see a life so small, no matter if he was created by lust or love, you would want to watch him grow up and accomplish great things."

It took awhile for her to respond. "My baby's father is gone," She heard the faint despair in her voice.

"Then you are going to raise this child on your own. And when this infant grows up, she will not regret the fact that she never had a father, because her mom had given her everything."

Bella turned to look at him. The frame of his face was oddly comforting, and she gave thanks for that. "Can I do it? All by myself?"

He smiled. "You are much stronger than you think you are."

The corners of her lips lifted the slightest bit. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

She started down the corridor, never looking back. Along the way, she pulled out her phone. She promised herself, that she would tell Renee everything.

.oOo.

Another series of crashes echoed through the door.

Rosalie stood outside, biting her lip. The Royals were worried and repulsed by Edward's behaviour. The only person he ever listened to was Alice. But she was not around then. She hoped that he would at least, spare her from the sudden outburst of shouts.

She wondered if she should have asked Emmett to stay with her.

"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?" She heard him yell. "Just leave, damn it!"

"Edward?" She called. "Hey, it's me, Rosalie. Will you let me come in?"

Everything went quiet all of a sudden. He yanked the door open so violently that she jumped back, startled. For a minute there, she could not recognise him.

His shirt was torn, crumpled and unkempt. His jean was stained, patches of beer all over it. His usually tidy hair was messier than ever. But the raw agony in his eyes, the way his face was contorted into a transparent pain, it made her cringe.

"Do you need something?" His voice was lifeless. "Or did you just swing by to see how messed up I am?"

"Neither. I came by to talk to you."

He laughed humourlessly, then gestured her to go in. "Welcome to hell."

Bile rose up her throat as she smelled the air around. It reeked strongly of alcohol. The room was in a mess. Pillows were thrown everywhere, bedsheets were torn. More than half of the furniture was destroyed. Empty cans of beer were lying on the floor. Window panes were smashed - everything was ruined.

"Edward..."

He slammed the door shut with his foot and waved a hand in the air absently. "Yeah, same old - telling me to get over it, telling me to be strong, telling me that I'm going to be the next Archduke when they think I'm ready. What do you really want?"

The last line was like a whip through the air.

"I'm here to be a listening ear," Was all Rosalie could reply.

Edward's back was towards her, and she could not see his expressions. In one hand, he held a wine bottle. He kept silent.

"Everybody thinks that you're upset because of your father's sudden death. But I know that's not it. There is something else that is making you feel so empty. I just want you to know that...I have been through things. I know what it feels like."

He turned to face her. She could see the dark circles under his eyes, and the cracks in his lips. "What did it feel like? When you left Royce?" He asked.

She felt a knot in her stomach, and she sat down on the floor - something in which no Royal ladies should do. "It felt like...nothing could be more painful. He was my first love - and I really did love him. The feeling of living in a world without him was like living in a dead one."

Edward's lips twitched ever so slightly.

"But," She continued, eyes still on him. "I managed to live through those days because there were people helping me. When you are torn away from something you love, you fight back. Sometimes, fighting back will not gain you anything. And that's just the way it is."

"Are you happy with Emmett? Don't you hate them for forcing you to marry him?"

Rosalie was silent for awhile. "Is this about a girl?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"I got more than I deserved. Leaving Royce tore my heart apart so badly that the wound never seemed to heal. But Emmett was the one who stitched that wound up with love and time. At first, it was a period of hatred. Then, it slowly faded away."

Edward slumped against the bed and sat on the floor, next to her. She placed a hand on his shoulder - the way he had placed his on Bella's.

"We are Royalty, Edward. We marry only people with the same blood as us. We can never go beyond that. Royce was a commoner, I wasn't. No matter how close we were, in the eyes of many, we were worlds apart."

Wordlessly, Edward reached a hand under the bed, and pulled out a photograph. "That's her," He whispered.

Rosalie took it. The picture showed a brown-haired girl sitting on a bench, with flowers blooming all around her. She was not looking at the camera, but away. Even though her lips seemed a little out of proportion, she had a quiet beauty and grace.

"She's pretty," Rosalie smiled.

That seemed to brighten his face a little. "She is. More than pretty, actually. She's beautiful."

Rosalie let out a small laugh. "Tell me about her. How did you meet?"

"Paradise." He looked at her. "Do you know where that is?"

She grinned. "Royce and I had a paradise too. It was in the woods, around a tiny lake."

"We met in Tennessee. Along a lane, during Autumn." He paused. "I wanted to burn this picture, along with the rest. But I couldn't bring myself to."

"Don't burn it, then," She said. "Pictures are like memories. Burning them doesn't necessarily mean that you'll forget that person. It just worsens the pain." She handed the photograph back to him. "Keep it. I didn't burn my photographs of Royce."

A slight hint of astonishment crossed his face. She smiled. "I kept it in an album and placed it in a box. When time does its trick, you will look at the pictures again with feeling any remorse. Royce is like a friend now. An old friend whom I shared many memories with."

She faced him, looking into his eyes. "It is alright to cry. I know how it feels, I've been there. There will come a day when you will pick yourself up again, I promise you that."

The corners of his eyes became moist. "When will the day arrive?"

She smiled. "When you know that you are ready to stand up again."


	5. A New Take in Life

_A/N: First of all, I must aplogise to all of you readers. I was really busy and tight with my schedule due to an upcoming performance. So, my sincere apologies, and happy reading :]_

* * *

Chapter V: A New Take in Life

Renee had taken the news of Bella's pregnancy better than she had expected. At first, her mother's usually large brown eyes grew larger still, processing the information. Then after awhile, she sighed and pulled Bella into her arms, while the latter cried there.

"We'll just have to make the best out of it, then," She said.

For Charlie, it was an awkward situation for him - having spent little time with his daughter. Though, as any parent would, he demanded for the baby's father, only to find out that she was involved with an Archduke, which left him speechless for a day.

It was during the next three months, when Bella started to pick herself up again, going on through life as if nothing had happened, as if he had never existed. She lived for her baby - that was all she knew.

She helped out in La Allure, Renee's very own beauty parlor. At first, it was hard for her to adapt to the world of perfection and beauty. Then, she slowly realised the need for beauticians in the world. It made her proud of Renee, not having felt that way since she was six - when started to think that beauticians were made to condemn this world into vanity.

But now, she saw them in a different light.

She observed how applying foundation could change a person. It took away all traces of hurt, concealed scars from painful memories. In her case, she had started to apply the products on herself, not because of beauty, but in search of a new self.

And she was proud that she had.

Of course, the colours could only do so much. But she wanted to prove to the world that she could do it on her own. It gave her a new confidence, gave the world a new Bella.

She had even changed the way she dressed - sweat shirts and baggy pants were only for home use. More feminine fabrics - dresses, high-waisted skirts, satin jackets, blouses - started to appear in her closet. She kept her sneakers aside in a box and started with proper boots, pumps and wedges.

It was a different feel, a different air she breathed in. Renee and Charlie's love had made her optimistic again.

Presently, she sat in Joe's cafe, drinking a cup of hot chocolate. She flipped through the newspapers. As she had expected, a section caught her eye.

**"Edward Manson Jr. to be a great Archduke", quoted by The King.**

She gazed at the picture of Edward reading through a thick philosophy book, eyes intent and knowledgeable. He always had that certain look when his attention was caught, and that was it. _You do belong there, Edward, _she thought_. Good that you're fine._

She folded the paper back and placed it on the chair, before starting on the colour schemes for La Allure.

The moment she had the file in front of her, she was so absorbed that she did not realise a tall figure standing next to her, by the counter. It wasn't until her pen had fallen off the table that his hand reached for it at the same time as her's.

"Thank you," She smiled, and then paused, looking into a pair of familiar blue eyes. The man straightened up, handing the pen back to her.

"It's you," She said. "You're the doctor who stopped me from going into the abortion center."

He cocked his head to the side for awhile, before recognition lit his eyes. "Oh! You're that girl! Wow, you look different. Went for a makeover, or something?"

"You could consider that," She grinned, then looked at him worriedly. Maybe she had overdone it. "Do I look _that_ different?"

"No, no. Well, I guess I recognise your eyes. It's difficult to forget those. But well," He gestured to her. "You look beautiful, really."

She laughed. "I didn't get a chance to thank you for the other day. Will you let me buy you a drink at least?"

He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his long, winter coat, smiling a smile so familiar that she had thought _he_ was back again. "Well, I'll take the offer. Thanks."

"Hey, Joe!" She called. A side of his pink cheek poked out from below the counter.

"Aye, Bella?"

"I'm paying for his drink, alright?"

Joe's head emerged, as he carried a bag full of coffee beans. "Ey, Riley! No hitting on girls in my cafe!"

The doctor laughed._ So his name is Riley,_ she smiled. Her phone rang in her pocket so suddenly that she jumped, and quickly fished it out, flipping it open. "Lucy?"

"Hey! The documents are with you, right?"

"Yeah. What's the matter?"

"Oh, we have an important...thing going on. Renee's asking for the files."

Bella gasped. "Oh, okay. I'll get there as soon as I can."

She snapped her phone shut, and packed her belongings, pulling on her winter cap and mittens. She took the exact amount for Riley's coffee, and handed it to him. "I'm sorry, but I have to go now. I'll leave the money here, okay?"

"Wait," He held her arm as she was about to dash out. "Where are you headed to?"

"The mall at New York's town square."

"How're you getting there?"

"Uh," She checked her watch. "By the subway."

He looked out through the windows. Bella groaned inwardly as the snow had an apparent heavier downpour since she had stepped in. It would have been hard to wade through the snow. She should have taken Renee's car, instead.

"I'll drive you down," He said.

"No, it's alright! Save the trouble. The hospital's at the other end of the - "

"I'll drive you there." His tone was final, yet still polite.

"There yer go," Joe handed Riley his coffee and took the change. "Have a good day, kids!"

"Bye, Joe!"

Riley's car, unsurprisingly, was a silver convertible. He blasted the warm air when they had gotten in. It was so comfortable inside that she did not seem to want to get out of the vehicle at all.

"Forgive me," He smiled. "I don't even know your name."

"Isabella Swan," Her lips moved automatically, no longer known to herself as 'Bella'.

"Riley Biers."

"It's good to know you."

"Same here."

He switched on the stereo to a jazz channel , the music playing softly in the background. Bella looked at him. She may have been dreaming it, but from the side profile, he resembled startlingly like Edward. They had the same nose shape and jaw structure. The difference was that Edward's eyes were sunk in deeper, while Riley's was shallower. He was good looking, muscular even under the coat.

"What?" He asked, looking at her.

"Nothing. You just remind me of someone."

"Oh. That person must be pretty charming as well," He joked. "Not as charming, I hope."

Bella smiled, not replying. They reached the mall in fifteen minutes, after Riley sped through the highway dangerously. She gathered her belongings and got out of the car.

"Thank you," She raised her hand to wave. "Thank you so much!"

"Thanks for the coffee," His voice was muffled through the half drawn windows. "Take care! Watch your steps. I'm not going to be there to catch you all the time." The last line sounded like a joke.

_"You'll catch me when I fall, right?" Bella said uneasily, holding the railings. She had no idea how Edward had convinced her to learn ice skating, but she was sure it was going to be hell._

_He grinned his crooked smile, which left her breathless again. "You have to try, Bella."_

_"You'll catch me?" She asked again._

_He skated towards her, and pressed himself to her body, hugging her like a little girl. "Of course, I will, silly. Why're you so afraid?"_

_She sniffed, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm just afraid that you'll skate somewhere else and leave me here."_

_"Well," He laughed. "I'm not going to be there to catch you all the time."_

_"Huh?"_

_"I'm kidding, love," He placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I'll always be there to catch you when you fall. That's a promise."_

"Hey!" She heard Riley call. Her eyes flickered to his, and their gazes met for awhile. "You alright?"

It took her a minute to answer him in a straight voice. "Yeah, I'm good."

He did not believe it, but nodded anyway. "Take care, alright? If you need anything, just head to the hospital and ask for me."

"Thanks," She pushed a lock of her hair back.

He beamed and sped off, the snow lifting themselves from the ground as if being blown by a giant fan. She hurried up the steps, though, with a slight more effort since her stomach had grown. La Allure was already bright, golden with the chandeliers' lights pouring down.

"Good morning, Miss Swan," The receptionists greeted.

"Morning," She smiled back, and headed up another flight of winding stairs to Renee's office. Lucy met her halfway up, blonde streaks of hair dangling down her face.

"Hello, Isabella," She panted, and took her bag. "I'll pass these to Mrs. Swan first. You take your time!"

Bella held the railings and climbed up, a hand resting on her belly. When she had reached the top, she was greeted again by Maria.

"Morning!" She chirped. "How are you feeling today?"

"Great! How are you?"

"Good, good."

Bella looked towards the door of Renee's office where a few managers were running from the office to other administrative rooms. "Who are the visitors? Why is everybody so worked up?"

"From what I heard, it is the royal family. The duchess of Ireland has chosen us as her beauticians for her wedding. The rest of the English Royals will be arriving, as well."

Bella's heart stopped beating. "_What?_"

"The Irish duchess will be getting married to the soon-to-be Archduke of England." She leaned in closer. "Apparently, the Countess, who happens to be Edward Mansen Jr.'s cousin, recommended our parlor! Isn't that wonderful?"

Bella bit her lips. "And the Countess happens to be - "

"Alice Cullen! She's a wonderful person, I hear! She, as well as the legendary beauty Rosalie Hale are flying in first. Followed by the Irish duchess."

Bella looked at her semi-swollen belly. She felt the familiar sense of dizziness again.

_Why,_ she wondered, _did they have to appear again when she had just started anew?_


	6. Friends or Foes

Chapter VI: Friends or Foes.

Edward huffed, a smoke of cold air escaping through his lips.

He walked down the narrow stretch of stones, where the stream once flowed through. The water had now turned into ice, a colour of white with a shade of light blue hidden inside. The trees that were once vibrant with life now became bare, with little icicles hanging down from the branches.

His bodyguards hurried behind him, ready to catch him if he ever fell. Edward crossed a little bridge and came to a stop.

"I want to spend some quiet time alone, please," He said.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the men exchange a glance, before nodding and staying rooted in position. They saluted, and Edward walked down the lane, feeling a sense of home sweeping through the back of his mind.

He was back in Paradise.

It had taken a great deal of courage to even step onto that land, knowing full well that he had let Bella down. It was as if the place had been a memory lost centuries ago. Now, with the falling snow, it looked like a painting - so beautiful and unreal.

His heart became heavy with an untold emotion as he walked down the slope. It was the exact same path_ they_ had taken during their first meeting.

_"I hope that we'll remain like this forever," She said, smiling. "When we're grey-haired with wrinkles all over our skin, we'll go back to Paradise, where it all started."_

_"Mhmm," He agreed. "But you don't have to hope for it."_

_She sat up, and looked into his eyes. He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "What's there to hope when it will happen?"_

_"So true," She mumbled, and wrapped herself around him, snuggling into his bare chest._

He smiled at the memory. The walked seemed endless. Yet, there was so much to think about and reflect upon. His shoes printed themselves onto the snow, leaving a trail of footprints behind. He came to a slow stop when he saw the oak tree.

He knelt down and placed a gloved hand on a bump of earth which stood out from the rest of even soil.

_They dug through the earth together, smiles of bashfulness creeping onto their lips. Their eyes met once and Bella looked down, shy._

_"There," She said when the concave was a respectable size. He watched her as she placed the train tickets in a cross, his atop hers. It was a second later that he realised - he was not watching her slim fingers cover the tickets back with soil. He was marvelling at her tranquil beauty, the way a strand of brown lock would fall just above her mesmerizing chocolate eyes the minute she bent over to work._

"What should I do, Bella?" He whispered. "It's been four months living in a world without you. _Four months_. I don't even know how to live through another day without seeing you. I have no directions, I'm lost."

He touched the bark of the tree, where it was carved: _B&E, 8 September, Autumn_

"I guess this is the only way I can talk to you - through this tree, and hope that, miraculously, you will be able to hear my voice. Although," A familiar lump formed in his throat. "I can guess that you'll never want to hear from me ever again."

Slowly, he knelt down, knees buried into the snow. "Fourteen days - that's all it took for me to fall completely in love with you. Fourteen days to change my life. Fourteen days that can never be brought back..."

Snowflakes fell onto his eyelashes, and a drop of tear fell from his eyes, falling onto his open palm. It was not an appropriate sight of an Archduke to weep, but he did not care at all.

"When I said goodbye, I didn't mean to let you go. I only wished that I didn't have to. I read a book the other day, and it said that to forget, you have to let go. But, Bella," He drew a shaky breath. "I can't ever forget, and I can't ever let go. No matter how hard I try, you are always in my dreams, in my memories, in the sky."

"It hurts to be so far apart from you. But what can I do?" He let out a laugh of disbelief. "I'm just a coward."

He stood up, his eyes never leaving the bark. "All days are nights to see till I see thee, and nights bright days when dreams do show thee to me. I love you, Bella."

He dried his tears, and walked back to the little bridge again, where his bodyguards were waiting.

.oOo.

Bella hurried up the steps, her protruding belly giving no help to the situation. Renee had called her back to La Allure for assistance. She was just finished with her ultrasound session at the hospital with Riley and drove all the way back to the mall.

In her hands, she carried a brown envelope of the scans and test results. Her baby would be a girl.

In a sheer happiness, excitement, as well as nervousness, she did not realise that there was another person heading in the same direction as her. They momentarily bumped into one another, and Bella caught hold of the railings just in time, with her heart pounding and a hand grasping her stomach.

"Oh!" A painfully familiar voice cried. "I'm so sorry!"

Bella, with her sunglasses still on despite the sunless day, turned away, picking up the envelope. Her fingers shook as a pair of smaller hands assisted her in collecting them.

"Are you alright?" The voice asked again. "How's your baby? God, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you."

"It's fine, Your Highness," Bella replied in a low voice. That was when she felt Alice stiffen. Whether in surprise or shock - she could not tell. She took the scans from Alice's hand and hurried up the elevator.

"B-Bella?"

Bella half-ran through the mall, with Alice chasing after her, calling her name. But, naturally, with her belly being in an inconvenient size, Alice managed to grab her arms and whirled her around to face her.

"It is you!" Alice gasped. "Bella!"

"I'm sorry, but you've got the wrong person," Bella looked sideways, avoiding the piercing eye contact with her.

"No, I did not! You may be looking like a much improved version of your old self. But no matter what you become, I will recognise you! We were as close as sisters in high school and - "

A hard, boiling rage filled Bella's soul. She flung Alice's hand away and yanked her own shades off, revealing her eyes. They were enraged.

"Ever so clever, Alice?" She hissed. "Well, yes, I am the Bella your cousin so conveniently dumped in a cafe. I am the Bella who was your doll for makeover sessions when you were bored. But if you are looking for that old high school 'sister' of yours, well, she's no longer here."

Hurt crossed through Alice's face like a clear glass mirror. "Bella, I - "

"Why did you come back? To see how miserable my life is? Well, let me tell you: I'm living a _fantastic_ life, and I don't need your interference. Believe it or not, I don't actually care if I'm talking to the Queen now. Throw me in prison, if you want. Sue me for being rude."

"What's happened to you?" Alice's lips trembled. "I thought, maybe, you would be happy if I came back."

Bella snorted. "In your dreams, my lady. The day I'd welcome you back will be the day I'm in my grave."

Alice frowned, tears welling in her eyes. She paused when she caught sight of Bella's stomach. "You're..."

Bella turned away. "It's none of your business."

"Is it Edward's?" She demanded tearfully.

"It's none of your business," Bella repeated again.

"It's Edward's, right? I know you, Bella. You will never have another man, other than Edward."

A stabbing pain ripped through her heart at the sound of his name. "You don't know me."

"I know you well enough to understand that Edward will be your first love, and your soul mate for eternity."

"Mhmm, a fashion stylist to a preacher," Bella's voice was layered with thick sarcasm. "Great transformation. But my baby has nothing to do with you. I don't care what you have to say, but my baby is mine, and no one else's."

Alice stood there, watching as Bella ran into La Allure.


	7. Truths to Alice

Chapter VII: Truths to Alice

Bella covered a hand over her forehead, boiling tears streaming down her icy cheeks. She felt the familiar pain of wretchedness and heartache wash through her whole body like a tidal wave, becoming stronger every minute.

The park was almost empty, with only a few children playing in the snow.

The cold air around her had set her teeth chattering for a long time. But she sat there like a stone, legs crossed and weeping. The image of Alice's tear-filled eyes flashed through her mind repeatedly, worsening her grief.

Sobs built inside her like piling bricks, threatening to burst.

"Bella?" A soft voice came from behind.

She looked up, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Riley frowned and sat next to her, pushing the loose strands of hair behind her ears. "What's wrong? Why're you crying?"

Bella bit her quivering lips, shaking.

"Hey, hey," He placed an arm around her, then flinched. "Bella, you're freezing! Come on, let's get into a warmer place."

"May I just...may I just sit here for awhile?" Her voice was wavering terribly. "I don't want to go anywhere."

"But..."

"Please, Riley. I just need to straighten out my thoughts first."

"Okay, then. I'll stay here with you."

She continued to cry miserably, though, this time, her head was on his chest. She could feel his gloved hand rubbing her back, once in awhile, straightening some strands of hair. A series of flashbacks ran through her mind like the pages of a history book.

_"Hi!" She beamed. "I'm Alice."_

_"Bella."_

_"You look like you don't smile much."_

_Bella shrugged, and moved to her table. Alice slipped into the seat next to her. "I have this feeling that we're going to be BFFs!"_

_"Uh," Bella shifted uncomfortably. "Okaaay."_

_..._

_"I'm not letting you wear that for prom! It looks like it just came out of a coffee machine!" Alice scolded._

_"Aww, come on, Alice," Bella grimaced. "You can't do this to me, BFF."_

_Alice pouted. "Yes, I can. Now, strip out of that dish rag and wear this."_

_Bella stared at the pink, silky material that was thrown to her, and groaned, though, secretly thankful that she ever had Alice as her best friend._

_..._

_"You're moving?" Alice cried. "To where?"_

_"New York. My Mum's opened her studio there. And, um, I've been staying with Charlie for longer than I'm supposed to. The court's issued the letter to him."_

_Tears welled in Alice's eyes as she hugged Bella tightly. "But I don't want you to go!"_

_"I'm sorry, Alice," Bella said quietly. "I have to go..."_

_..._

_Bella blinked, and looked at Edward._

_"She's your cousin?"_

_"Yeah," His brows furrowed. "Why?"_

_Without a word, Bella dashed into the shop, smiling so widely it seemed as if nothing could make her happier. She took in the sight of Alice, with her short, dark hair and critical eyes when it came to clothes. She was still just as small._

_"Alice!"_

_Alice whirled around at the sound of her voice, her dark eyes widened with excitement. "Bella?"_

_Bella squealed - that was the first time she ever did - and ran to Alice, hugging her so tightly that the latter coughed, swearing under her breath. "Oh hell, Bella. Do you ever inspect what you wear?"_

_"No," She laughed. "Alice, Alice! I've missed you!"_

_"Seems like it was just yesterday when we graduated from high school together, eh?" Alice paused, then frowned. "How did you find me here?"_

_Bella pointed to Edward, who was standing by the door, confusion fierce in his green eyes. "You two know each other?"_

_"We're sisters," they chorused._

_..._

.oOo.

After an hour, Alice was hit by the reality that the meeting with Bella was not a dream. Of course, it felt nothing like a dream. The smell of Bella's peppermint breath was familiar. Yet, the transformation still awed her.

She saw the way Bella's eyes had hardened so quickly it felt unreal. She saw the way her long, thick lashes added to the ferocity of her anger, in harmony with her pale, glossy lips curling into an upturned smile. Her long, loose curls framed her face perfectly, giving an edge to true outer perfection.

And then, there was the baby bump and fallen ultrasound scans - an unexpected sight.

She sat on the couch, chewing on her knuckle absently, trying to piece the facts together. Bella could not have had another man right after Edward. For her to have gotten pregnant there and then, was just too fast.

Besides, Bella and Edward were passionately in love. It was not a surprise that they had even slept together, given the saying that 'love is blind'. Perhaps they had not been careful.

"Alice?"

She looked up to see Rosalie standing in front of her, with little Jeremy sleeping in her arms. "Yeah?"

"Aren't you going in for your facial?"

"Uh, yeah. I was just about to go in. He's sleeping already?"

Rosalie looked at her toddler's sleeping form and smiled. "He was babbling unknown words to Emmett over the phone last night. He didn't sleep much. I'm going to let him sleep in one of the rooms. I'll join you inside later."

Alice nodded and got up, leaving the magazine on the rack.

That was when a pair of cold arms flung around her, shaking so hard that it was difficult to tell if it were the cold or sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Alice," Bella sobbed. Alice's eyes widened. "I shouldn't have said that to you."

Alice rubbed her back soothingly. "Shh, shh, Bella. It's alright, it's fine."

"No," She cried harder. "No, I'm sorry. I really am."

Before Alice could reply, every event, every person, every _truth_, tumbled out of Bella's mouth like a rushing river, in the midst of tears. And Alice realised - Bella did not have a companion throughout the toughest times in her life.

When she had finished, her tears had dried, and Bella sat there - red-eyed and shivering. It was a lot for Alice to take in, and she could imagine the pain her best friend must have gone through.

"So this baby is Edward's?" She whispered, while Bella nodded silently.

"Oh my god," She clamped her hand to her mouth. "No, no. This can't happen. He's going to get married in less than a year."

She watched as Bella's crumpled once again. "I know that," Her voice was thick with tears. "I don't even plan to tell him anything."

"But, he's the father. He should know."

"Not when he's marrying someone else! I'll raise the baby on my own."

"It's not just about you or Edward. What if one day, your child asks for her father, what will you tell her? That he's no longer around?"

Bella wiped a tear away. "I'll tell her that her father is someone else."

Alice could not help but snort. "That's the most ridiculous thing ever."

"Maybe if you were in my shoes, it would be the most logical excuse you could give."

"And who would that guy be?" Alice frowned.

Bella thought of Riley, and could _only_ think of Riley. He had been there for her throughout, never forsaking. He was like an angel sent to her - always bringing a smile to her face, and carrying a smile of his own.

But she kept silent about it. "I don't know. We'll see how it goes."

Alice pursed her lips, her perfect brows furrowing in concern and confusion.

"You have to keep this a secret, Alice. Please, I beg of you."

Alice nodded, though her mind was whirling in a way she had never felt it before.


	8. The Unexpected

Chapter VIII: The Unexpected.

The doorbell rang, startling Bella awake immediately. She groaned and pushed the covers aside, standing shakily and heading towards the door. Renee was already up, wrapped in a bathrobe. She was at the front door.

"GOOD MORNING!" Alice half-screamed and dashed in, kissing Renee on both cheeks and giving Bella a tight hug, although it became awkward as her bump had grown.

"You're up early," Bella mused, flopping onto the couch.

"Well, I had to," Alice rolled her eyes. "or there'd be major congestion in the bleeping mall." She threw her tiny legs onto the foot massager and let out a cry of relaxation. "God bless these machines."

"What were you doing at the mall?" Renee asked, handing her a cup of coffee and a glass of milk to Bella. "It's barely seven in the morning."

Alice waved her hand in the air absently in the most Alice-ish way. "See, I called _May's Maternity_, and got them to sell me some stuff. And..." She hopped up and flew to the door, opening it to reveal seven bodyguards.

Renee and Bella gaped, their jaws hung low. It was an odd sight - seven huge, muscular men dressed in black, carrying pink ribbons, strollers, a crib, clothings, and so much more.

"Come on in, boys!"

They marched in, and placed the belongings right in front of them, before turning back to Alice.

"Thank you!" She thrilled. "I'll call you when I'm done. You can go back to the hotel first. I'll be going around to sightsee."

"But the paparazzi..."

"Carlisle has issued an order that none should be following us. Failure in doing so will result in..." She turned to Bella. "_death_."

Bella felt her heart stop.

"Geez, Bella, I was just kidding. The company or website they're working for will be banned permanently. So yeah, I'll call you guys again! Thanks!"

The body guards bowed and left the living room, closing the door behind them. Renee and Bella exchanged a brief look, before turning their attention to the materials bought by Alice. Bella had to admit - they were just the most adorable things she had ever seen.

"These are really cute, Alice," Renee smiled.

"I know right! I just had to get them. They were so adorable!"

Renee laughed and stood up, kissing Bella on the forehead. "I'm going to change. Heading off to work soon."

"We'll go with you!" Alice beamed.

Bella was quiet for awhile, her eyes sweeping through all the items. "Alice, why don't you and Renee go ahead first? I need to settle a few things before I head down. I'll join you shortly."

Alice pouted. "So much for sisterly bonding."

.oOo.

Bella looked at the empty room, smiling. It was a spare room that had been initially planned as Bella's study before Charlie and Renee's divorce. It was simple, with the four white walls surrounding the wooden floor boards. There was a tall brown window on the northen wall, decorated with a flower ornaments around it. She drew the curtains aside, letting the morning air seep into the room.

Her brown eyes took in the sight of the little garden outside, ever so wondrously stunning - like those she had seen in fairy tales.

She started to work a few minutes later, laying out the rugs and storing the diapers, bottles and wipes onto the shelves.

It was the first time since Edward had left that she felt a certain sense of peace flowing through her again.

She managed to fix up the rocking chair - thanks to the fact that Charlie had not been that fantastic in fixing up the furniture a few years back, which left her to fix detached arm rests and shaky table legs. But then she got tired, and went into the living room.

"Hello."

She spun around, not in fear but in slight shock by the voice which did not belong in the house.

"Riley!" She breathed. "What are you doing here?"

He walked in, his nose pink from the chilly air outside. "I, uh, wanted to drop by to see what you were doing. The front door wasn't locked, so I came in. Sorry about that."

"No, no, it's perfectly fine," Bella smiled and gestured to the couch. "I'll make you a hot chocolate."

"Thanks."

When Bella came back to the living room, Riley was holding a picture of Renee and her when she was just six years old. "This is a really nice picture," He commented. "It shows a lot about your relationship with your Mom."

She smiled. "Yeah. It's my favourite. I spent my allowance to get it framed up when I was seven. Skipped my meals at school and walked home for three days."

He laughed, sounding sincerely amused. "That's really like the Bella I know."

Bella took a seat next to him. "What's the real Bella like?" She frowned a little.

"The real Bella is self-sacrificing, caring, thoughtful, optimistic, self-reliant..."

"And the new Bella is nothing like the old Bella. Right?" She had not meant to sound upset, but ended up anyway.

Riley grinned. "No. It's just hidden in you, like a box of treasure in the sea waiting to be taken back. Those attributes are still in your heart, but they are not shown. It's that simple."

"Riley?"

"Yeah?"

"If I told you things that are meant to be kept secret, would you keep them to yourself?" Her brown eyes were wide. For once, they shown fear and pleads. Riley looked at them, feeling a strange sense of connection to her.

"If you don't mind telling me, that is." He replied.

She leaned forward, thoughts far away, staring at the blank television on the wall. Her hands were around her protruding stomach, absently rubbing it. She could feel the slight pressure internally - her baby was kicking.

"My baby's father..." She stopped, hit by a familiar pain which had her hands trembling a felt his palm on her back and continued, "He is the Archduke of England."

He was silent, which made her worried.

When she looked back at him, his eyes were unreadable. "Edward Mason?" His lips moved tightly. "This is not some kind of a joke, is it?"

Bella could not blame him for disbelieving her. She could only shake her head in response, swallowing hard. "It was love. I know it was. Maybe you'll think that we lusted that night, but I did truly want to be his."

"So he left you like this? Pregnant with his child?" Bella was surprised by the fury which enveloped his usually cheerful voice.

"No. His father passed away so suddenly - it changed everything for him, I guess. He was to succeed after his father had passed on." She turned to look at him, her eyes bitter. "I'm not a Royal. We can't be together."

His jaw clenched. "The Royals - forever so self centered."

"I don't blame them," She said quietly. "It is their law, they have an image to protect."

"What image? The image of leaving women whose babies are part of their blood?"

Bella looked at him, frowning. His cerulean eyes were angry and dark. "Why are you so upset, Riley?" She questioned. "Why does it bother you so much?"

He placed the mug of hot chocolate down and looked at his watch. "Aren't you going to the palour?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"It's just..." He started, then let out a sigh. "Never mind. I'll drive you to work."

Bella pursed her lips and stood up, heading to her room. She took a glance backwards and saw him staring at a small piece of object that she could not quite comprehend. From far, it looked like a scrap piece of paper.

.oOo.

Riley dropped her off at the junction when she told him that she wanted to take a walk.

The ground was still covered in snow, although it was already January. She stood by the traffic light, watching as cars drove past, sending her hair sweeping across her face. The winter air was not as cold anymore, but she still shivered.

"Excuse me."

She turned around to find a beautiful young lady looking at her. Her blonde locks fell to her waist smoothly like a waterfall. She wore a white beret on her head, which was the exact same shade as her cloak. She smiled.

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering if you happened to know where La Allure is located at?" There was a hint of Irish accent in her voice.

"Yeah, um, I'm just heading there now," Bella smiled back. "I'll take you there."

She seemed relieved. "Oh, thank you very much! I'm sort of new to New York. I've been here a few years back for an event. That's about it."

"Sure, no problem."

The walked together, with Bella pointing out the landmarks to the lady. She was always asking questions in such a polite manner that Bella felt uncomfortable answering her in the usual short, crisp sentences.

When they reached the entrance of the mall, Bella spotted Alice standing in a quiet corner. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of them both.

"Alice!" The lady laughed, and ran towards her, leaving Bella gaping.

"Tanya?" Alice sounded genuinely surprised, or shocked, rather. "What are you doing here? Where are your bodyguards?"

Bella stared.

"Oh, I warned them not to follow me. I wanted to explore this place on my own."

Alice threw a worried look at Bella. "How did the two of you...meet?"

The lady - Tanya - looked towards Bella. "I met her at the junction! She was just so lovely, showing me around. She brought me here."

Bella moved slowly towards them, and she could see the sudden fear in her Alice's eyes, which left her utterly confused. Tanya looked at Alice and smiled. "What's wrong, Al? Something bothering you?"

"Let me introduce," Alice said dryly. "Bella, this is Tanya. She is Edward's fiancée.

_"You will be marrying someone else, then?" _

_"Yes. An Irish duchess."_

Bella took a step back, blinking rapidly. She swallowed, her lips suddenly dry. There was only one thing that ran through her mind: Tanya was simply beautiful. Beautiful enough to stand next to Edward without having to feel unworthy of him.

Alice bit her lip, frowning worriedly.

"She knows Edward too?" Tanya asked.

"Yes," Bella heard herself reply. "He's a friend of mine."


	9. Time Travel

Chapter VIII: Time Travel.

"So how did you get to know Edward?" Tanya asked, while Bella blended the eyeshadow onto her fair skin. She had volunteered to be the make-up artist for the dutches, and was regretting that decision as the minutes passed.

She applied the colours to Tanya's delicate skin, brushing softly. "During a hiking trip with a bunch of friends. Turns out the whole group knew him except me. So, yeah. Nothing much," She lied. "But we've lost contact since."

Tanya's lips curled into a smile. "He always tells me how appreciative he feels towards his friends. They keep him sane during these times."

Bella paused, her grip tightening on the brush. "Is he having a hard time coping with his duties?"

"I do see him struggling, although he claims he doesn't. It is not easy for him, having no experience in anything like that before. But I try to spend time with him - take him around the gardens to get some fresh air and little things like that."

_Fresh air. Walks in the gardens._ Bella felt her eyelids grow heavy with a certain sense disappointment.

"It's good that you're keeping him company," She took a deep breath, and continued with the colours.

"He's going to be my husband, after all," The smile never faded away from her lips. "What good a wife will I be if I don't give him all the support I have?"

The palette slipped from Bella's hand and clattered onto the floor. Tanya's eyelids flew open, looking around. "I'm so sorry, Your Highness," She apologised. "Did I startle you too badly?"

"No, no," Tanya shook her head, and bent down to retrieve the palette even before Bella could. "And please," She said, handing it back to her. "Call me Tanya."

Bella took the palette from her hands, and smiled at her. "Thank you, Tanya."

She turned back to face the mirror, inspecting her eyes. "I love this colour," She thrilled. "I've never actually seen it. How do you do that?"

"I mixed three different colours together, with a line of silver above."

"You're talented, and you're just _nineteen_," Tanya smiled. "I've seen your works on models in the gallery outside. You should be featured on the magazines."

"I'd rather stay low profiled. Besides, it's about three more months till my baby is due."

Tanya's eyes traveled to her stomach, and Bella became self-conscious immediately. "Your husband must be really lucky to have an amazing wife like you," She said. "I can't wait to meet him. What does he work as?"

Bella blinked. Thousand of reasons flooded her mind, of which half of them were valid. She could pick any one of them and pass of as the truth. Still, she kept it as honest as possible.

"My baby's father died in a car accident," She heard herself say. "We weren't married, or anything."

Tanya's curious eyes softened. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. His death has made me stronger in many ways." That was the truth.

"Oh." She let it drop.

For the next thirty minutes, they were quiet, with Bella working on - ironically - the woman that was going to take her stand on the altar next to Edward in the near future. The more she beautified Tanya's already flawless face, the more pain she felt from her lost memories.

_"Bella?" His velvet voice floated to her._

_"Hmm?"_

_"If I asked you to marry me, would you?"_

_She opened her eyes, looking into his. "What?"_

_"You heard me."_

_She turned to face him, a smile spreading across her face. "I would say..." She paused dramatically._

_His eyes were wide, anticipation fierce in them._

_"Yes," She giggled. "I'd marry you."_

Bella finished the last curl of Tanya's hair. She stared at her through the mirror. Tanya represented perfection - she was as beautiful as Rosalie herself. "Wow," The duchess breathed. "This is amazing! The colours are just perfect."

"I'm glad you like it, Tanya."

Tanya turned to her and took her hands. "Edward has to meet you again. He'd be so pleased to find his long lost friend so successful!"

Bella's hands turned cold.

"He's flying over to visit me in a few days, and..." She paused, frowning. "Why do you look so pale, Bella?"

Bella's hand flew to her face reflexively. "No, nothing," She tried to steady her voice. "W-When is he coming over?"

She frowned. "Probably this week. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," She took a deep breath. "I'll be back. I have to use the bathroom."

Bella ran out, wishing that she could go back in time, when she was a child - when everything was perfect.

.oOo.

Rosalie sat on the swing, watching Jeremy as he twirled along with the merry-go-round, laughing delightedly. Her hands were cold under the leather gloves and she wished Emmett was there to give her all the warmth in the world.

She saw a shadow moving up towards her, and assumed it to be one of her bodyguards.

"I'm not done yet," She said without looking back. "Jeremy's still playing."

"Let him play, then."

She turned around, and found Riley standing before her. He stared into her eyes for awhile, then sat on another swing next to her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, genuinely surprised.

He shrugged. "I come here most of the time. It's my childhood memory."

She bit her lip, keeping an eye on Jeremy. "You still remember."

"I'd be a loser to forget those times." He paused, eyes fixing on her. "Times before you became conceited, times before you became _one of them_."

"Don't say that, please."

"What? Are you denying it?"

Her hair whipped to the side as the wind blew. She could feel the sting in her eyes that she had never experienced after having Jeremy. A drop of tear rolled down her cheek, and she wiped it away hastily, swallowing. Riley clenched his jaw, feeling the pang of regret in his stomach.

"I'm sorry," He said curtly.

"I'm sorry that I left this place. I really am. But," She looked down. "People move on, Riley. That's life."

His brow twitched the slightest bit. "I never moved on. I just had to take it all in - you leaving when we just turned seven, watching you as a beauty ambassador, secretly finding out that you were with Royce..."

She turned her head sharply at him. "You will never understand anything, Riley."

"Sure, I won't. I will never understand Royalty since I was born one and thrown out of the castle."

Her violet eyes caught his in a whirl of bitterness. "You're still on about that," She whispered disbelievingly. "Didn't we agree that we would never talk about it anymore?"

"_What?_" He shot back. "That I am a Royal but not at the same time? Because Edward's father had an affair with my Mum, who," He added with a hiss. "happens to be a Royal as well?"

"Don't rake up the past."

"Why can't I?"

Jeremy stopped playing and looked at the both of them.

"I was born from Edward Mason Sr. and a Russian duchess," He continued bitterly. "Does that make me any different from you? It was a secret affair, and they dumped me out, not even considering me as part of the family?"

"It was an affair, Riley! It's forbidden, no matter what."

"So children born from 'affairs' are not considered Royalty at all."

"Riley, that's not what I meant. You know that"

"I don't know you anymore, Rose," The venom was thick in his voice. "Honestly, I don't even want to know you."

Her heart stung painfully. "So, you came here, to our childhood memory, to tell me this? To rant about you not being a Royal."

"Firstly, it's no longer your childhood memory. It's _mine_. This memory died when you left the playground. Secondly, no, I did not come here to rant about my life. I came to rant about completely idiotic facts about Royals. Thirdly, you can tell Edward that Bella's child is considered part of the 'affair', so he can dream on about ever holding the baby."

"Edward knows his limits."

"From my dictionary, none of the Royals do."

Jeremy scrambled onto Rosalie's lap, wiping another tear which fell from her eyes. "Don't cry, mommy. I love you."

She drew a shaky breath and kissed his cheek, standing up. "I'm not going to feel sorry that I am a Royal, Riley. Not ever."

"I didn't say you should. Though, I pity you for being one."

She smoothed Jeremy's wild curls. "If you ever meet Emmett, or Carlisle, you'll know what I mean. And, I've never forgotten you or the memories we had. If you ever think that it was erased from my mind, you're wrong."

"It doesn't really matter now, does it, Rose?"

"No. But I did love you, before everything started."

"You ended it."

She turned to face him. "It's ironic, isn't it? How you gave me hope during the most bitter times and never had a glimmer of hope for yourself."

He was silent, and she continued, sounding oddly optimistic.

"You'll always be that little boy I knew when we were six - the Riley that was my sun in this world."

He watched as she turned away with Jeremy in her arms, wishing he had traveled back to the days when she smiled.

* * *

_A/N: Just wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for reviewing this story despite my slow updates. Take care, and God bless!_


	10. The Note

Chapter VV: The Note.

Over the days, Bella had panicked and wept over and over again. Every time a brunette man walked past her, she would tremble so violently that Riley had to carry her back into the car. When she was out, her shades would always be on, covering her eyes.

She tried desperately to change her appearance, but ended up looking like her old self, with streaks of colours on her skin.

"Bella, don't do this anymore," Alice would say. "He's going to recognise you, no matter what you become."

"You're wrong," Bella would retort, though her heart believed every word Alice said. Because she knew herself, that she would recognise Edward, even if it were his ashes before her.

With much certainty that she was running absolutely out of her mind, she bought a ticket to Paradise, escaping New York, running away from the worldly troubles that could have been brought away if she had not met him.

The air was different in Paradise. It was an entirely different feel, where the chilly wind was no longer as cold, and the tears that streamed down her cheeks were of missing memories. It was tiring for her to walk long distances, since her stomach had grown again.

Her boots crunched into the melting snow as she waded towards the Oak tree just a few meters away. She wished that she could stay in Paradise forever with her baby, with no other troubles that could get in their way.

When she reached the tree, the first thing that caught her eye was a blue rose placed by its thick bark. It was such a beautiful sight that it seemed to take away her pain almost instantly.

She bent down and picked it up, having never seen a blue rose. Just as her hand had reached for it, a soft piece of paper fell, floating towards her. She took it, marveling at the texture and woody scent.

It was then when she spotted the familiar handwriting, elegant and cursive.

_Dearest Bella,_

_As I am writing this letter now, I wonder if it will ever find you. Without you holding my hand, without you in my arms, my soul is empty. Unknowingly, I search for your face in the sea of crowd, hoping that you may be there. It's impossible, of course, but I cannot help myself._

_I have come to terms with the fact that people will always walk in and out in my life. But, your walking out seemed to have been the most tragic tale for me. You were my heartbeat, my air._

_Nobody sees love. One can only feel it._

_I have been constantly thinking about you - about the journey which led us together. It is close to impossible for two souls among billions to find each other, and we did. Maybe it just so happens that we crossed the same paths and ended up on a crooked one, where we lost our way. But I hope that as the path winds, we will meet at the cross roads once again._

_A part of me longs to look into your eyes again, to know that the world is still revolving. But I'm no longer next to you - we are oceans apart._

_You and I are different. We come from different worlds. But you taught me how to love and be loved in return. After thinking about everything we have gone through, the bitterness in me starts to fade, because I know that what we had was real. _

_To be honest with you, I don't know where my life is headed to right now. You said to me once, that we live a life of mistakes and tough decisions. But after much learning and deciding, one will find the path of destiny - where things will start to straighten and mists would disappear._

_If my life were a storybook, then I hope that you will know: I have bookmarked the chapter when you stepped into my world._

_I love you. That's never going to change._

.oOo.

Bella drove down the snowy path.

The afternoon sun shone dimly behind the clouds. She held the note in one hand, while the rose was placed on the leather seat next to her. Her tears had dried since she had left Paradise, which only left dry sobs hanging in the air once in awhile.

She parked her car across the road and walked towards the supermarket.

As she climbed up the steps, she felt a pain - not quite stabbing, but a slight discomfort at the pit of her abdomen. She took a deep breath and headed towards the drug store to get a box of pain killers with a bottle of water.

"...for you. Don't worry, I won't forget."

Bella stood at the counter, frozen.

"Yes, Rosalie. I got it. I'll head down when I'm free. Talk to you later."

She heard him sigh - long and tired. Her knuckles were white, clutching the edges of her cloak.

"Excuse me, Miss? Uh, Miss?" She heard the pharmacist call, tapping her hand lightly. Bella felt her abdomen contract, and she bit her lip from moaning in pain. She could feel his eyes on her already. Her hands worked fast, unclasping her wallet and taking out the money.

"Keep the change," She said hoarsely and grabbed the pain killers.

"Miss, your water!" The pharmacist called.

Bella held her stomach and hurried out, ignoring her.

"I'll pass it to her," Edward offered.

_Oh God, please, no,_ Bella begged._ Please, please._

She walked briskly out, her breaths ragged and pained. Her abdomen contracted further, as if there were an invisible force inside crushing the walls of her stomach. When he touched her arm, she turned cold.

She held still, feeling the need to crumple onto the ground and moan in pain.

"Your water," He said in the familiar low voice, holding the bottle to her.

"Thanks," She whispered, her back facing him.

.oOo.

Edward snapped his phone shut, sighing. Rosalie had called him to purchase a bottle of vitamins for Jeremy - whom, unfortunately, fell ill after catching a cold from the snow.

He had no complaints. At least, he felt like a normal person - wearing a pair of loose jeans and a white, round-neck t shirt. He hated to wear hats indoors, but had to now. Times had changed for him. A Royal, out of functions and parties, would always end up looking like a potential pickpocket with the sunglasses and caps.

He walked down the rows of shelves, searching for the right kind of vitamins.

"Miss, your pain killers," The pharmacist at the counter said. He was not paying any particular attention, when the pharmacist repeated herself again.

"Miss?"

He turned to the counter, wondering what could possibly have grabbed the customer's attention, that he or she would not have heard the pharmacist.

He saw a lady, tall - possibly due to her boots- and looking down as if something interesting had caught her eye. But it was not so, when he saw her knuckles turn unusually white. There was that odd sense of familiarity. A _very_ odd one, indeed.

Her long brown hair was tied into a messy bun, with loose strands dangling down the side of her face, framing it perfectly. It was then when he saw her side profile.

_And he just stared._

The pharmacist reached out and tapped the lady's hand. "Excuse me, Miss? Uh, Miss?"

She fumbled slightly with her wallet and pulled out a note. "Keep the change," He heard her say.

Her beautiful features were panicked, and she took her pills without another word and ran out, holding her stomach.

_Her stomach._

He stared at her belly, shaped like a water droplet under her coat as she hurried off. The pharmacist suddenly called out, "Miss, your water bottle!"

_She let out a tired sigh, before turning to him. "I hope that we will never see each other again," She said. "Because this pain," Tears started to flow again. "...is just beyond what words can describe. I can't live with this wretched feeling in my heart."_

The memory hit him like a sudden wave. But still, against every thought of staying still, he went to the counter. "I'll pass it to her."

He ran after her and caught her arm. It was as if the world had once again, started revolving when their skins touched. Her back faced him, and he could feel the tremor vibrating through her body like an electrical current.

"Your water," He said dully, hoping that she would turn to face him.

But she didn't. "Thanks."

She walked away briskly. "Bella!" He ran after her.

She started to run, painfully, towards the entrance of the grocery store. He followed her. "Bella!"

He saw as she almost tripped down the stairs and clung onto the railings, and rushed over to help her up. "Bella, are you alright?"

Her brown eyes stared into his, in an untold agony. For awhile, he was struck by her beauty - an outer perfection which he had never seen before.

She shrunk away from his touch and moved down the stairs, running again. He followed, confused and frustrated - _was a greeting not even possible? Did she hate him that much?_

"Bella, stop!"

"Stop following me!" She cried and dashed past the car park, turning behind to watch his pursue.

It was then, right at that very moment, when her eyes locked into his, that he felt the connection once again, as if they were speaking to him. But the connection was gone in less than a second, when the sound of a blasting horn filled the air.

He saw her look away, and felt his body turn cold.

"BELLA!" He roared.

The tires of the car shrieked, drowning his voice, and that was it. It happened so fast, that he did not even have the time to react. He just stood there, staring as the car hit her from the side, feeling everything go blurry from the tears in his eyes.

Bella lay on the ground, the bottle of water rolling aimlessly around the concrete, her head resting on an outstretched arm, _and blood_, so much blood that he went numb, flowing down her legs and head.

...

The next thing he knew, he was in an ambulance with her on the stretcher, holding the note which he had found in her hands.


	11. Miniature

Chapter VVI: Miniature

Bella was vaguely aware of the lights flashing above her. She tried to scream, but not a sound came through. The pain inside her seemed to swell every minute, to the extent that all her senses went numb in the end.

Her surroundings were moving, sweeping past her in a flash.

"Stay with me, Bella!" Riley's face appeared in front of her. "You'll be fine, you hear?"

The bright lights seemed to force her eyes close, and she was about to drift into the darkness, when a new voice called. "Paradise, Bella. Think of Paradise."

She turned her head, with much pain and effort, to the other side and saw a sea of lush green grass. His eyes were looking into hers with so much concern, pain and _love_. "Paradise," He said again. "It wouldn't be Paradise without you."

"S-Save h-her..." She whimpered, drops of tears rolling down, holding her stomach. She sobbed even harder when her usually active baby was still, as if she were just a weight, not a life.

"We will, Bella." Riley's voice came in hard. "You just stay strong, alright? Live for her."

Her hand fell to her sides, and her eyes closed.

.oOo.

Riley watched from behind the glass panel, as his Uncle Marcus stood by the operating table, hovering over Bella. After five hours, when he could no longer watch any further, he tore out of his surgical gown and walked out. The air in the hospital smelled particularly stale that day.

He slowed to a stop when he saw Edward sitting quietly by the corner, head clasped in his hands.

At first, he contemplated to walk away, to ignore his step-brother completely. Then, he figured that he did not have to. His uncle owned the hospital - he had every reason to walk past him. In the distance, he saw Alice running towards Edward.

"How is she?" Her panicked soprano voice traveled to Riley in a wave. "What happened?"

He saw as Edward was momentarily silent, before he burst into tears, his body shaking so badly that it looked as if he was having a seizure. Alice quickly sat down next to him, and placed a hand on his back.

She murmured things in his ear which Riley could not comprehend, given the distance between them.

The door opened, and his Uncle Marcus walked out. Riley hurried over to him. "Uncle..."

Marcus sighed and pulled off his mask. "The baby is very premature. We have to keep her in an incubator."

"Will she live?"

"Probably not."

"How long more?"

"I don't know."

Riley looked at Marcus. "And Bella...?"

Marcus crumpled his mask absently. "Dr. Martins is operating on her now. I managed to remove a few blood clots in her brain. One of the veins in her neck had burst completely. He is trying to stop the blood flow there."

Riley winced, and felt his Uncle place a hand on his shoulder, comfortingly. "Look, Ry. I know that it's tough for you to take it all in - her accident and your brother's return. But these are the times in life which you just have to accept things the way they happen."

Riley felt his jaw clench. "He's not my brother."

"You're saying that because you're angry."

"No," Riley shot a look at Edward, who was looking in their direction. "He is no brother of mine."

Marcus pursed his lips. "The baby is with the nurses. You should go help them. They may need a doctor to tell them what to do."

Riley, without looking back at Edward, turned around and headed towards the surgical room. Marcus sighed and proceeded to stand in front of the latter. He could see Edward's tearful green eyes look into his. Of course, Edward had taken after Elizabeth - the best trait one could ever inherit.

"Hey, kid," Marcus said.

Edward looked back down, staring directly onto the floor. Alice rubbed his arm and looked up at Marcus. "How is Bella?"

Marcus sat on the chair next to them, hands stuffed into his pockets. "She almost died."

Those words whipped through Edward like an iron rod burning into his skin. No, the pain was worse than that. He just wept, letting his tears splatter onto the ground, leaving a pool of grief there.

Marcus sighed and sat on another chair next to him, placing a hand on the latter's back. "Your father cried this much when Riley's mom passed away."

Alice gave him a questioning look, and he continued. "Riley's mom committed suicide after your Dad announced that he had given their baby boy to an orphanage."

She frowned. "Why are you telling Edward this, Uncle?"

"Because, Edward Sr. told me that when you weep for somebody, it is because you love that person. The harder you cry, the stronger the love."

Edward drew a shaky breath. He could feel a part of him breaking slowly, painfully. "I can't let her die," He croaked.

"Because you love her."

"Because I owe it to her."

"What makes you think so?"

Edward was silent. "She hates me."

"You don't know that."

Edward looked at Marcus. He could see his father's eyes in his Uncle's, and the way his jaw was shaped such that it made him look stern. Marcus placed a hand on Edward's shoulder. Unlike his brother, Marcus sounded oddly optimistic.

"Life may have given you a hundred reasons to cry. But prove to me, to _yourself_, that you have a thousand other reasons to smile."

Edward looked at him, and the faintest hint of a smile crept along his lips.

"Come," Marcus said, standing up. "I'll take you to see one of the greatest gifts in your life."

Edward nodded and followed, though feeling utterly tired and weak. His hand slipped into his pocket gingerly and he pulled out the note which he had written to Bella in Paradise. It was now crumpled, with creases layered over his handwriting.

At the very bottom, in such tiny, cursive script that would not have caught his eye if he had not looked at it properly, he may have well missed it. He looked at it again, just to be sure.

_I love you too_, it said.

.oOo.

Tanya smiled at the little boy. The tubes were connected from his skin to the liquid which hung from above. She blew more bubbles for him to burst with his frail fingers, and he laughed delightedly.

"Where's your mom?" She asked, patting his head gently.

He looked at her with his hazel eyes, then grinned adorably, pointing upwards. Tanya looked up, wondering.

"In heaven," He said.

She looked back at him. "I'm sorry."

His brows pulled together. "Why do adults like to say sorry?"

"It's a way to show that we...sympathize with you. Do you know what 'sympathize' means?"

He nodded. "It means to feel sorry. But why must you feel sorry for me when I, myself, don't?"

Tanya thought about that question, while he continued, "I'm happy for my momma, because she's happy in heaven. And if she's happy, I'm happy."

She smiled and handed him the bottle of soapy water. "Here, I'll help you hold this. You blow."

The boy shook his head. "I'll get tired even before my fourth breath."

For awhile there, Tanya had completely forgotten that she was in a hospital, sitting with a child diagnosed with leukemia. It did not feel like a ward belonging to a cancer-struck patient. It was brimming with life and laughter.

"Dr. Riley would read me bedtime stories at night," He grinned sheepishly and pointed to the puppets hanging by the tables, concealing some of the monitors and test tubes. "He made me those."

"Dr. Riley?"

"Yeah. You know what my wish is?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to invent a bubble that could take me anywhere I want to without bursting."

Tanya smiled. "I'm not surprised."

He beamed and yawned at the same time, sinking into his blanket slowly. She closed the bottle of soap and placed it next to the puppets. Her eyes watered slightly as she watched little Billy drift to sleep.

Covering him so that he was warm, she placed a kiss on his forehead. She walked out of his ward, promising him silently that she would visit again.

The hospital's corridors always seemed so long and distant. She wrapped her cardigan around herself tightly, walking out of the children's center. When she moved past the infants' room, she paused.

Edward stood there, bent over an incubation box, looking at a child so miniature that she would have thought it was not a baby at all.


	12. Silence

Chapter VVII: Silence

Tanya watched the way Edward's eyes glistened with emotion, the way his hand seemed so longingly to want the touch of the baby.

However normal it may seemed that Edward loved children, watching him now caused her to have a frightful pit of disturbance at the back of her mind, of which she could not comprehend. When the door opened, she quickly turned away, hiding her face behind the curtain of hair that fell to her waist.

"...the blood test again."

The gruff voice rang with a certain authority, even within those few words. Their backs were towards her, one slightly hunched, while the other tall.

They spoke in hushed whispers, yet, the silence betrayed them.

"Yes, Uncle," A younger, smoother voice responded. "The test results have come out. The child's blood type is an AB negative."

Tanya's heart stopped momentarily.

"AB negative?" The older doctor sounded genuinely surprised. "That's extremely rare amongst the worlds' population."

"Edwa - " There was a brief pause. "I mean, the baby must have taken after her father's blood type. I've done a check on Bella, who is an O positive. We can do a few rounds of blood transfusion. _He_ has agreed to it."

There was a silent agreement which hung in the stale air. "This way is the best solution to keep their child alive. She is in need of blood."

"Bella is in the Intensive Care Unit. She's recovering, but still unconscious."

Tanya's heart hammered against her ribcage violently. Renee had told her that Bella was off to Italy to collect her wedding gown. How could everything be so coincidental? Were they talking about a different Isabella?

"Keep monitoring her blood pressure. The wounds on her head have not recovered. And..." He added quietly. "Nobody should know about this."

"Yes, Uncle."

Tanya hurried down the corridor, pulling her shades on once again. She went straight for the reception desk. The startled nurse looked up at her, and peered, in a seeming form of slight recognition. "How may I help you?"

Tanya could not really seem to care less if her Irish accent was outstanding. "Was there a patient named Isabella Swan who was admitted in here?"

The nurse tapped on the keyboard, scrolling through a long list of names. "Isabella Swan. She was admitted just a day ago."

"Is she...Is she in the Intensive Care Unit?"

The nurse nodded.

"What happened to her?"

"My apologies, but we are not allowed to give out our patient's information to..."

"I'm her best friend," The panic in her heart had made it a whole lot easier to feign concern. "I want to know what happened to her. Surely you can't deny me of that."

The nurse pushed back a lock of sandy-brown hair and cleared her throat. "Ms. Swan was involved in a car accident."

Tanya swallowed. "Was she pregnant?"

"Yes."

"The baby survived?"

"I'm not sure about that. I only work at the reception. But if you'd like, I could refer you to Dr. Biers. He is the doctor in charge of Ms. Swan... Oh, there he is!"

Tanya turned and saw the same young doctor that she had seen just now. He paused in his steps, and shock flashed past his features instantly. His blue eyes were fixed upon her, and she looked away quickly.

Adjusting her shades, she said a quick thank you and hurried out of the hospital entrance. When she turned back, she saw the exchange of conversations between him and the nurse, before he stared at her once again.

.oOo.

The bag was getting filled with thick, red blood.

Edward sat on the chair, watching as the slender tubings connected from inside his skin, to the monitor. He observed his heart rate on the screen - a constant string of line which went up and down, up and down.

He felt weak, perpetually sick in the stomach.

He thought of his daughter, and that sickening feeling seemed to fade away completely, leaving him to picture her running about under the sun, blissful and healthy. He would give anything for that to happen, even if it meant donating every drop of blood in his body.

...

_His arms were around her small waist. They sat beneath their tree in Paradise, smelling the sweet scent of Autumn as the wind carried the leaves in the air._

_"If we ever have a kid," He said quietly, "What would you name him or her?"_

_He felt her surprise radiating towards him. "Why do you ask?"_

_"I'm just curious."_

_She turned around, their faces barely an inch apart. "Don't laugh at the name, promise?"_

_He grinned, already bemused by the adorable seriousness of her eyes. "Well, if it's funny, how can I refrain from laughing?"_

_"True, that."_

_"So, tell me."_

_She pursed her lips as if she were deep in thought. "If it were a girl, I'd name her Renesmee."_

_"Renesmee?"_

_"Well, I just think that Esme has a beautiful character, even though I've never met her before. Judging from how you are now, I'm convinced that she is really an amazing woman. And then, I put my Mom's name in too, because, well, you know that I'm madly in love with her."_

_He smiled. "It's a really beautiful name. I love it."_

_"So, you're not laughing?"_

_"No. Because it's far beyond what laughter can perceive."_

_A smile, so simple yet stunning, spread across her face. She leaned in, and pressed her lips gently on his. _

_He was in heaven._

_..._

"Edward."

He looked up, and Riley stood next to him. It was probably the first time that his brother had looked at him in the eye and called his name.

"Yes?"

"You're done." He said, and removed the needle from his skin. It prickled painfully. But he thought, it must have hurt more if there was no concern in Riley's eyes. The latter scanned through the monitor thoroughly, before sitting down on the chair next to him.

"Your blood pressure is a little high," He said in a professional voice, sounding very much like their father. "Try to take care of yourself. I will prescribe you with some medication later."

"Is there enough blood to save Renesmee?"

"Excuse me?"

"Renesmee. My daughter. I mean..." He paused painfully. "Bella's daughter."

Riley's eyebrow lifted the slightest bit. "You've named her," He mused. "That's a nice name. Yes, there is enough blood for the time being."

Edward nodded silently and sat up. "Is Bella recovering?"

"Yeah. Well, actually, she's awake now. She just regained conscious."

Edward's heart skipped a beat. Whether it was because of the happiness or fear - he did not know. The image of her, lying still on the bed, seemed to be washed away cleanly, just as how the waves took the sand away.

"Did she...did she ask for her baby?"

_"No."_

Edward felt his chest contract, imagining the pain-stricken eyes of Bella's. "Is she alright?"

"She's stronger than you think."

"She's more vulnerable than you know."

Riley clenched his jaw. "What makes you think that she's still the same Bella whom you so selfishly dumped along the road to being a Royal?"

"She's Bella. She will never change."

"Just let her be who she wants to be. If she wants to act tougher than she truly is, let her!" Riley was almost growling.

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I love her."

Riley let out a snort which convinced Edward that his love for her was in fact, very much silly. He stood up and snatched the clipboard from the table, walking out.

Edward got up slowly. He felt weak after the huge amount of blood having drawn from him. He caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and sighed. His eyes were heavy, with dark circles looming under them as if he had just battled through a storm.

He grinned wryly at how those words had been phrased.

His shoes dragged along the smooth floor, hands holding onto the wall for support.

His heart pounded violently as he approached the door to Bella's ward. He was prepared for anything - a slap across the cheek, a yelling, anything a person was capable of doing when maddened. He pushed open the door, and looked in.

Bella sat on the bed, looking out of the window.

He took a shaky step in, and closed the door behind him.

Her eyes moved to him, and she stared, saying nothing. Silence, it seemed, had the loudest voice then. Edward's heart ached at the sight of her fair frame and long, brown mane. Her lips were dangerously pale.

She fixed her eyes on him steadily and then questioned curiously, "You are...?"


	13. Deception

Chapter VVIII: Deception

The silence dragged on.

He looked at the snow-colored bandage that was taped on the side of her forehead. His gaze trailed to her eyes, which stared so intently into his as if they were reading his thoughts. His mind struggled to process her eyes without any traces of hate in them.

"Yeah. I'm Renee's friend," He lied painfully. "She couldn't make it to see you, so she sent me here."

Bella smiled, and that simple gesture seemed to enchant the dull, bleach-scented ward.

"My Mom's always busy," She said, with a beam that did not make that accusation seem like one at all.

Edward missed her. As selfish as it may seem, he wished that she could remain like this forever - when he had not stepped into her life and created misery.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked.

"Yes, very much. My Dad called me just fifteen minutes ago."

He nodded slowly and went to stand before her. The mesmerizing sea of brown were fixed on the window again, looking steadily at the cobbled path outside. His eyes threatened to give away his emotions.

"I must have been asleep for a very long time," She said softly. "I don't even know what the date is."

"February the tenth," He replied curtly.

She looked at him, and then smiled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

And there was silence again. It was not the usual awkward quietness which made one uncomfortable. This silence was golden. Being in the same room with her was probably the happiest moment yet. For the briefest moment in time, it felt as though they were just friends - good friends, for that matter.

"I want to go out for a walk," She said finally.

He blinked. "Sure. Of course."

She pulled the thin blanket aside and placed both feet flat on the ground. Like a runner preparing for a race, she braced herself, watching the ground so intently that it seemed to capture every cell of attention she ever had.

Slowly, she stood up, holding onto the table next to the bed.

Edward rushed to her side and held her arm gently, instinctively, just in time as she lost her balance. She swayed, and fell against him.

"Sorry," He heard her mumble.

He missed the scent of her hair. She smelled like honeydew, odd but very pleasant, with a hint of citrus hidden beneath. He lifted her up and placed her on the wheelchair, where she settled back in comfortably.

"Thanks," She said.

He acknowledged her gratitude with a short laugh and wheeled her out of the ward. He feared, again, that he was going to be recognized again by the public. But none of them really took a second glance at him as they strolled past, and he was grateful.

He watched as she looked around curiously, as though she had never seen the world outside her ward.

It was odd, he thought, how they had to pass through the nursery to get out into the garden. When they did pass the glass-surrounded room, he stopped to look in. Bella, to his surprise, did too.

His heart stopped when he saw his baby in the incubator at the corner. It was hard to describe how he knew that it was his little girl - he just _knew._

_I love you,_ he thought. _I really do love you. The moment they placed you in my sight, you had already slipped into my heart._

Renesmee was looking better with his blood transferred into her tiny body. She was no longer so skeletal, but slightly healthier-looking now. It warmed his heart to see her getting better.

From the corner of his eye, he watched Bella. Her eyes were expressionless as she looked from one infant to the other.

_Look at her_, he begged. _She's your daughter._

But Bella's gaze just moved around the room, as if she were viewing an exhibition. He turned to look at her, watching carefully. Her eyes flickered to his.

"Are we going out to the garden yet?" She asked.

It took awhile for him to respond. When he did, he nodded, a sense of disappointment and sadness washing through him. "Yeah, of course."

She smiled as he wheeled her down the corridor, and out into the warmth of the sun rays.

.oOo.

The sky was darkening, the sun setting beyond the horizon.

Tanya stared into the mirror, a frown forming as she looked at the clock which hung on the wall. Her white gown bloomed like the petals of a flower around her, captivating several pairs of fascinated eyes.

She saw Alice pacing around the room, holding the phone, while Jasper, who had just arrived, was leaning against the wall, looking down.

"It's lovely," Renee smiled. "Just stunning."

Tanya could not seem to find enough mouth muscles to smile back. So she simply looked at herself in the mirror once again.

"We will alter this part," Renee pointed to the seam around Tanya's small waist. Lucy nodded, and penned the adjustments down on a piece of paper. "And here as well..."

Tanya's eyes trailed to the door, waiting for Edward to appear.

She had been waiting for him since she had left the hospital eight hours ago. Alice was now talking to Jasper, heads bent, almost touching.

"Alice," She called.

Alice looked up, slightly startled. "Yes?"

"Where's Edward?"

"He's...uh, well," She said sheepishly. "I can't seem to contact him."

"He's supposed to take his measurements, isn't he?" Tanya's tone had gone from cool to acidic. "And he's not even here yet. Does he take this seriously at all?"

"Sorry, Tanya," Jasper interjected. "We are trying our best to reach him."

Tanya turned back to face her reflection. Her face was flushed from the anger and she pulled the curtains around her. "Anymore alterations?" She asked angrily.

Renee was slightly taken in by her tone, but shook her head anyway, and stepped out with Lucy.

Tanya changed out of the wedding gown and handed it to Lucy, before slipping into her short dress and walking out to sit on the couch. Alice and Jasper exchanged a brief glance.

The scene from the hospital kept playing through her mind like a broken recorder.

"Edward is here," Jasper announced.

She turned to look at him as he walked in.

"Where were you?" She half-demanded. "You weren't back as scheduled."

"I was out." He replied simply.

She hid a snort and looked at his plastered arm. "What's wrong with your hand?"

He looked at it then back to her. "I, uh, scraped my skin while walking around."

_"Edwa - " There was a brief pause. "I mean, the baby must have taken after her father's blood type. I've done a check on Bella, who is an O positive. We can do a few rounds of blood transfusion. He has agreed to it."_

_There was a silent agreement which hung in the stale air. "This way is the best solution to keep their child alive. She is in need of blood."_

Tanya nodded wordlessly and walked out of the parlor.

"So much for honesty," She mumbled to herself.


End file.
